Dunn deal? Valentine’s day? Kings will draft guard, writers predict

Of eight mock drafts sampled, six said the Kings would use their eighth pick on June 23 on a guard – split between Providence point guard Kris Dunn and Michigan State shooting guard Denzel Valentine, who also played the point for the Spartans.

Never miss a local story.

Rajon Rondo is set to become a free agent, and the Kings’ only point guard under contract for next season is Darren Collison. Seth Curry can play point, but as The Bee’s Jason Jones reports, he’s going to decline his player option and test his luck free agency, though the Kings could make him a qualifying offer that would allow them to match any deal extended his way. Shooting guard is also a position of need.

“My favorite description is still the scout who told me, ‘He’s John Wall with B+ athleticism instead of A+.’ That may not be an All-Star, but for a Kings team that just spent the year depending on Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison, Dunn would make a lot of sense as a long-term solution. He’d also be a steal if he falls this low.​

“The Kings have seemingly drafted an endless number of shooting guards in recent years, but that shouldn’t stop them from considering Valentine here. ... Valentine is a consummate pro, and the often-chaotic Kings could use as many of them as they can get.”

“Marquese Chriss just may be the most athletic first-round big man. The fact his jumper also looks clean is another plus. He’s not particularly strong under the boards (5.4 per game), while his 6.5 fouls per 40 minutes highlight limited defensive IQ. But if you’re the Kings, you’re taking a chance on his offensive versatility coming together and his feel for the game turning around.”

“NBA scouts question his athleticism but agree that Valentine is a well-rounded player who comes from a program that had a history of sending overachievers to the league. The Kings could use his leadership in their locker room.”

“Poor Dunn ends up as the loser of the lottery, landing in the place where promising careers go to die: Sacramento. With Rajon Rondo entering free agency, he fills an immediate need and should have an immediate impact.”

“The Kings could use some shooting and they could use a power forward. So let’s kill two birds there with one stone and give them Ellenson. It’s questionable how he would work on the floor with DeMarcus Cousins due to each of their lack of foot speed, however he’d be able to stretch the floor and hit some shots for the Kings as well as create some offense.”